


the art of blooming

by lovedive



Category: AB6IX (Band), JBJ (Band), JBJ95 (Band), MXM (Band), Produce 101 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M, Minor Character Death, Minor Violence, Slow Updates, Swearing, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-13 14:11:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17489498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovedive/pseuds/lovedive
Summary: Donghan gets to know that sometimes time does not heal and all it takes is someone who will tend to your wounds, but not without making new ones.





	the art of blooming

It’s somewhen around XVI century and Donghan has been around for one and a half already. He’s old enough to know how to hide his true nature well now and how to feed without the victims’ disappearances seeming suspicious. Even though it’s pretty common for people to vanish into thin air on a daily basis, with the war going on and all that, he thoroughly remembers to not maltreat the corpses too much.

 

He knows better after hearing about how certain people that call themselves hunters, tinted with amazing bravery, dared to take the challenge to eliminate every supernatural creature, putting the lives of the poor and vulnerable higher than their own. Donghan has never met any in his not so long eternal life though, so he considers himself both lucky and smart.

 

It’s a given that you have only two options after encountering hunters in your life and unfortunately both are kind of pessimistic; first one being, well, getting harmed and in a way that doesn’t let you heal yourself, so it’s basically the end of your existence. Second is somehow surviving but the range of injures is so wide that you’re fated to die anyways or if by any means you get back in shape, you’re meant to be tracked down and this time eliminated for real.

 

Donghan thinks that hunters are sometimes worse than the other creatures of his kind. Hunters show no mercy to anyone and when they pride themselves for doing such good deed for humanity, they don’t have a tiny bit of any left in them. _Ironic_ , Donghan thinks. They don’t believe that some minority of them just want to enjoy some human aspects of life as well and aren’t full-time killing machines. He can’t speak for himself though, he enjoys humanblood way too much to give it up any time soon.

 

Or at least that’s what he thinks so until he meets Donghyun. You see, Donghan doesn’t usually get interested in humans unless they’re his meal, but this man makes his head turn in such hurry, that almost looks unnatural and Donghan has to remind myself to not use his supernatural abilities in public.

 

What a pretty boy he was… Donghyun had everyone so unbelievably whipped and wrapped around his little finger, and it’s not that he did that intentionally! He was too pure and oblivious to the fact to actually be able to take good advantage of it.

 

It was how smoothly and gracefully Donghyun moved in his robes (and without them, but that’s another story) and how he smiled shyly at the people around him with his big round eyes shining like they held two entire galaxies in them.

 

But it wasn’t what made Donghan so attracted to him in the first place, no… It was his _smell_ ; Donghyun barely stepped into the crowded space of the tea house, the wind that sneaked in making it in easier for the aroma make it straight to Donghan’s nostrils. It was truly overwhelming and Donghan swears he has never smelled anyone this delicious in his whole life.

 

It was something he recognised as the metallic bloody sting with milk chocolate and vanillamixed in at the end. As innocent and sweet as the boy himself.

 

Before Donghan can even realise what’s happening, it’s as if his legs are working on its own and are taking him closer and closer to the boy, the delicious fragrance intensifying and making his whole body tingle with an unidentified emotion.

 

After he approaches Donghyun and introduces himself with a slight bow and polite smile, it gets pretty easy for Donghan to get close to him. He doesn’t know if it’s because his fake age is the same as the boy’s or it’s just his truly irresistible charm. Either way Donghan doesn’t complain, but little does he know it was going to be the first time his stone heart will be broken.

 

At first it was just some weird form of fascination and Donghan couldn’t quite put his finger on just what was the cause of its appearing. He never bothered to get close to his meals, as he liked to call it, but this time it was different.

 

Even though the urge to just let his fangs grow and bite into Donghyun’s appetisingly pulsating neck vein was the thought he had to push back in the furthest corners of his mind, there was something holding him back. And no, it wasn’t only because Donghan enjoyed the younger boy’s presence more he’d like to admit, but this is where Donghan’s starting to get annoyed.

 

Lim Youngmin is his name and as Donghan soon finds out he’s almost always by Donghyun’s side. And, Donghan thinks, that is probably the reason why no one was able to get advantage of the innocent boy, yet. It truly is a miracle he wasn’t around that time Donghan saw Donghyun for the first time.

 

He realises Youngmin doesn’t particularly likes or even pretends to like him either and Donghan would lie if he said he’s in any way sad about it. He is curious as to who Youngmin is to Donghyun exactly and why does he care about him in such possessive way. He did have some ideas but you never know, he could be just Donghyun’s relative or something like that, but then when Donghyun introduced him to the other man, he only described him as "a close friend to me and my family," so that’s not really clicking.

 

Then, a few months later, many meetings with Donghyun (and Youngmin third wheeling and being annoying in general) the news of Youngmin leaving for two weeks ("at most!" he said, looking straight into Donghan’s eyes giving him the most threatening stare, as if trying to scare him so bad, it’d last for those whole two weeks) broke out and Donghyun whined about not being able to see him and just how much he is going to miss him. And maybe Donghan’s cold heart stung at that a little bit, with an emotion his immortal form does not remember experiencing.

 

Later, the same day, while he was just casually taking his rest (that was just sitting in silence alone, because with his oh so good hearing, when he was out and with so many people around him, he could never think straight). And as the stars and moon appeared on the sky, careful and silent steps followed by a knock were heard. Donghan knew well who just came by to pay him a visit and he expected it sooner or later.

 

What he didn’t expect was the other man’s alpaca like features (he won’t lie, the fact he could actually compare him to one made it really funny) to be this relaxed. Youngmin was naturally cold and stoic, but he used to be always alert near him. Or was it Donghyun that made him somehow uneasy?

 

"I know that you somehow managed to make Donghyun trust you, but I don’t. He doesn’t know what you are, but I do." He spoke in a calm manner. Donghan suddenly felt like a prey, that a cat prepares and hunts down patiently. Was he really this blind? Was he really this close to a hunter and he didn’t even realise, because he was busy falling for a human?

 

"I won’t kill you… for now. I know how much he treasures you, even though it makes me hate you even more than I already do." He said, and was that a glimpse of hurt in his eyes? "But try to hurt him and I’ll make sure you’re dead for real." And with those words as a warning he took his leave.

 

Without Youngmin around it sure was easier and nicer to be with Donghyun. All those pretty smiles and soft gazes were for _him only._ How much he wished it’d stay like this for the rest of Donghyun’s life, he wouldn’t be able to express it in words of any language. At the same time Donghan doesn’t think he’d ever be able to curse anyone with the same life as he was forced to lead. Don’t get him wrong, he does enjoy how he doesn’t need to do much to exist and is better in every aspect, both physical and mental, than any human being, but then it’s as much of a blessing as it is a curse… especially the condition of drinking blood, and if not trained properly — losing the remaining bits of humanity and getting rid of all sanity, which leads to become a beast which has only one goal — to kill. And he would never dare himself to bring it upon Donghyun.

 

A week passes by and Donghan doesn’t think he ever felt this happy in either his past or current immortal life. And then Donghyun suggests with a blush on his cheeks that he stays the night, since they got caught up in the game of yutnori, and with the darkness outside, he worries about how Donghan will be able to get home safely. Donghan agrees with a smile and doesn’t mention how Donghyun should worry about other people being safe when he’s out there after dawn.

 

It’s really hard to resist, and Donghan still tries, but he lets everything pulling him back go and he can’t pull the "I’m just a human card" so he sticks with the animal instinct taking control of his actions.

 

Donghyun trusts him more than Donghan thought and let’s him have him on a chilly april night. The marks he leaves on his milky skin remind him of the cherry blossom petals that are starting to bloom around this time of a year.

 

Ironic enough, Youngmin comes back after a day and when he visits Donghan at his tiny room he isn’t as composed as last time. He’s truly furious, but Donghan isn’t scared, why would he?

 

"My people saw you enter Donghyun’s house and they also told me you didn’t leave until morning." He says through clenched teeth, and it almost sounds like he’s hissing. He looked as if he was expecting Donghan to pick up on the conversation and tell him nothing he thinks happened has in fact had place that night.

 

Donghan turns to the only window in his room and chuckles. He can sense Youngmin clenching and unclenching his fists in anger.

 

"I think you already know what happened that night" is the only thing he says. He feels like he somewhat accomplished something, as if he won over him. And that feeling makes him feel good for a second, but then he remembers Donghyun doesn’t mean that little to him and he feels like he used the younger.

 

He doesn’t have a lot of time to think though, because soon enough Youngmin is coming at him with a silver dagger. And he’s fast. But not as fast as Donghan is and that’s why he shouldn’t have started this in the first place.

 

Youngmin is good, really good to be honest, and Donghan wanted to take it easy and still wants to (he doesn’t want to kill him, not when Donghyun would surely agonise over this), but he still doesn’t meet up to his expectations. Maybe it’s because he’s so angry that he dared to touch his dear Donghyun and is blinded by the spark of taking it out this way. But hey! It wasn’t because he had bad intentions. There’s no way he can prove it to him now though.

 

To be honest he never asked Donghyun directly who Youngmin was to him. He went around and gathered the information with only him known method. And if it took a few people’s lives, he explained it by the fact that he still needed to feed.

 

What he knew already was that Youngmin was a hunter and the leader of his organisation. What he didn’t know though was that most of Donghyun’s family was murdered by creatures like himself, and Youngmin’s family was the one that fought against them and managed to save the live of Donghyun and his grandparents. That’s why he lived with them and it was only natural they made Youngmin (after he got the needed training) stay with them as well, so he and Donghyun got close over the time.

 

Another thing he got to know was that Donghyun never got to know the real cause of death of his family. He also didn’t know what Youngmin did for life, he thought it was some kind of crystal business, mostly because he needed something believable enough to explain his frequent journeys. He also never failed to bring some of the most beautiful of them as a present for Donghyun, that usually wore them proudly after.

 

Those close to them could clearly see that what Youngmin felt for Donghyun wasn’t just brotherly love. And Donghan was damned, because he noticed too late. If he knew that earlier he wouldn’t have put himself in a situation like this. It was too messy for his liking.

 

Youngmin was trying to counterattack again, sweat breaking out and breath fastening, his actions slowly becoming sloppier as the time of their fight was drawing out.

 

And just then, as Donghan was trying to fend off his attack, he underestimated his own strength. He sent Youngmin flying across the room and stop on the window, now the glass shattered to pieces. What he didn’t notice at first was the poodle of blood slowly getting bigger and bigger in size on the floor, next to the other man’s feet. He was slightly bent backwards, lower part of his body resting against the windowsill. The remains of glass must’ve pierced into his back and by the amount of blood he was losing maybe some important organs as well.

 

Donghan swore loudly and got closer to the injured man.

 

"Don’t." Youngmin spoke in a raspy voice, his brown locks sticking to his sweaty forehead. "I don’t want the last thing I see be some disgusting creature like you. I despise you." He closed his eyes and hissed again, this time in pain.

 

Donghan wasn’t sure what to do, he really wanted to leave him there to die just like this. Just like the old him would do. But the new him, him after meeting Donghyun, made him want to save him somehow. And the only way of saving him would be turning him into one of his kind and he was sure Youngmin would never agree to that. Not like he liked the idea either. With this and the hurrying steps of multiple mortals, probably Youngmin’s followers, he quickly gathered few things he owned and fled.

 

The announcement of Youngmin’s death spread out the next day. Donghan knew he had to be fast and leave the country for the time being, because he was already being tracked down, but he couldn’t leave without seeing Donghyun one last time.

 

He got him at the lake, the same one they often used to take walks around together, and he smiled sourly at the now bittersweet memory. He couldn’t bring himself to get closer, to talk to him, to say his final goodbye to the boy that somehow made his heart soften a kind of big bit. Not after he saw him crying and hugging the thick paper with a really similar alpaca like features on it to his shaking body.

 

He didn’t want to cause him any more pain, so he left. His body feeling heavy and eyes weirdly dry. But he couldn’t cry, not when his body wasn’t able to produce tears anymore.

 

He soon enough found himself in some European country and stayed there for a few decades, doing nothing but grieving. Not over Youngmin though. It was the emotion he felt for the first time; delicate and fragile like the dried petals of the prettiest flower he has grown in his heart.

During one of his many escapades to east, but never too far, (he wasn’t ready to come back yet; he wouldn’t be in a really long time, anyways) Donghan met a fellow vampire, Gunhee, and he told him "The other hunters went crazy, it’s been years but they’re still taking revenge on us." The "because of you" wasn’t spoken out, but Donghan knew it was supposed to be there. "And… Donghyun’s grandparents married him off to one of the official’s daughter. They’re living well, you don’t have to worry about him. They even have some cute grandchildren to take care of by now!" He added, and yes, Donghan felt like some of the weight has been taken off his shoulders. They talked a bit after that about trivial things like how the mortals in European countries just will never taste the same as the ones back home and went their separate paths sooner than later.

 

Donghan was living his life all alone again. Being alone meant more time to think. Being alone and being immortal meant _even more time to think_ and Donghan couldn’t stand it.

He truly regretted being who he was and what he got himself into in the past. " _Smart_ my ass, Kim Donghan."

 

He solemnly swore to never fall for a human or get into a love triangle ever again.

 

Donghan travelled the world not doing anything extraordinary, other than that he still had to feed on people. The brunette decided to stay low in the future and the routine got to him so bad, that he didn’t even realise how centuries fled by like sand through his fingers.

 

He must admit he likes it better now, with all the technology and all; the facts he read after searching about his kind on google were scarily accurate, but some of them got him laughing like a lunatic.

 

Most importantly he decided it’s about time he goes back to his motherland, believing he has overcame his trauma ("a vampire with a trauma, really?") and will find something to bring back his will to live ("you’re already dead, Donghan, what the fuck? Make it make sense.")

 

That’s how he finds himself at a night club, sipping on some sweet drink, lazily moving his gaze around, searching. He hasn’t eaten in weeks now and the hunger is starting to scratch at his throat irritatingly. _There._ Some guy is being too confident for the girl’s liking, and _oh_ , is he taking her somewhere? See, he’s not thet much of a bad guy here, he really is trying to stay in check (with who though? Not with the people hes taking lives from.) and chooses only mortals that could be more of use while being dead.

 

Donghan stands up and follows them through the mass of sweaty and intoxicated people on the dance floor. Or at least he’s trying to as one of them pours the total capacity of their glass on him. Literally who the hell dances while holding onto their filled to the brim drink?!

 

"Oh my god! I’m _so_ sorry!" Shrieks the person, putting their hands on Donghan’s chest in a weak attempt of cleaning the mess up.

"It’s fine, just get out of my way," he forces out quickly without sparing the stranger a look, not wanting to lose his dinner. Donghan is in a rush so he moves forward, but just as he’s about to pass by he feels the same hand that was on his chest just a second ago grip on his sleeve.

 

"At least let me help you clean it up, so I don’t feel bad in the morning for ruining someone else’s night while drunk," he says and wow, damn it was a really bad idea to look at him now.

 

The stranger, it’s a guy he notices, has the shyest smile breaking out on his face and his eyes have sparkles dancing in them beautifully. His hair is dirty blonde in colour and it looks like he either styled it in to look like he just got up from a really good nap or really did so before coming here (he still manages to make it look good though).

 

After a minute passes he realises he still hasn’t responded to the boy, and so does he because "Oh, right, I’m Kenta by the way," leaves his, Kenta’s mouth, and Donghan’s meal be damned, because he’s _so_ fucked.

 

He takes a breath and… how can someone smell like strawberries?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if u read till now thank u!!!!!  
> the updates will be prolly really slow   
> catch me on [twt](https://twitter.com/kengyunist) ^~^


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